1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an innovative design of RF connector assembly and more specifically, to the design of a U-shaped locating groove on the electrically insulative female connector housing or male connector housing and installation of a U-clamp in the U-shaped locating groove to secure the female connector terminal device or male connector terminal device inside the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A RF connector is adapted to connect two coaxial cables or one coaxial cable and one circuit board together for signal transmission.
Basically, A RF connector is comprised of a female connector and a male connector. By means of forcing a hook hole at a locating plate of the female connector into engagement with a hook at the male connector, the male connector and the female connector are fastened together.
Conventionally, the female connector and male connector each have an electrically insulative housing and a terminal device mounted inside the electrically insulative housing. When inserting the male connector into the female connector, the probe pin of the terminal device of the male connector is engaged into the receiving portion of the terminal device of the female connector, achieving electric conduction. Because the housing and the terminal device are made of different materials, connection between the housing and the terminal device can be done in many different ways.
Taiwan Patent Number I239699, entitled “connector structure II”, discloses a structure of connector, which comprises a housing having a terminal chamber for accommodating a terminal device, a springy retaining bar formed integral with the housing in the terminal chamber and having a locating groove for the mounting of a clamp, a terminal device having annular grooves of different diameters arranged around the periphery for the engagement of the springy retaining bar temporarily, a clamp mounted in the locating groove of the springy retaining bar to provide a two-step clamping function. After connection of the first clamping structure of the clamp to the housing, the terminal device is fastened to the housing and the, the second clamping structure of the clamp is fastened to the housing. Of course, the clamp can be completely joined to the housing after connection of the terminal device to the housing, holding down the terminal device in place.
According to the aforesaid prior art design, the clamp must be inserted into the inside of the housing and fastened to the locating groove. However, because the locating groove is disposed inside the housing, it is difficult to set the clamp into position. According to this design, the clamp has a U-shaped configuration. Fastening the two arms of the U-shaped clamp to the two sides of the locating groove is not easy. More particularly, the small size of the housing makes the installation of the clamp more difficult. Further, because the housing and the clamp are respectively made of an electrically insulative material, for example, injection-molded from plastics, the clamp will be elastically deformed during its installation, complicating the installation. An improvement in this regard is necessary.
Further, Taiwan Patent Number M315419, entitled “Terminal mounting structure”, discloses a terminal mounting structure, which comprises a housing that has an accommodation chamber axially extending through front and rear sides thereof, an inside annular flange extending around the inside wall thereof within the accommodation chamber, a pair of radial insertion slots disposed behind the inside annular flange in interference with the accommodation chamber, and a rear retaining wall at an opposite side relative to the radial insertion slots; a terminal device that has a front annular flange extending around the periphery near the front side, a rear annular flange extending around the periphery near the rear side and stopped against the rear retaining wall, and a middle annular groove extending around the periphery and spaced between the front annular flange and the rear annular flange; and a clamp that has a pair of clamping arms inserted into the accommodation chamber of the housing and clamped on the middle annular groove of the terminal device, and a hooked portion respectively located on the distal ends of the clamping arms and respectively hooked on the end edge of each of the radial insertion slots after insertion of the clamping arms through the radial insertion slots. By means of the clamp, the terminal device is rapidly installed in the housing and firmly secured in place. The housing and the clamp of this design of connector have a simple structure so that the molding and material costs can be greatly reduced.
Similar to Taiwan Patent Number I239699, Taiwan Patent Number M315419 needs to insert the clamp into the inside of the housing to hold the terminal device firmly in place. Same problems of installation difficulty and deformation of the clamp during installation will be encountered during installation of the connector.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a RF connector assembly that eliminates the aforesaid problems.